Democratic and Republican Convention Party Menus

The Democratic and Republican National Conventions are both coming up, and we know you’re just churning your brain trying to come up with the perfect dishes to show your patriotism and love of the democratic process. As we look back over past presidencies, there are a few foods that would be perfect on a National Convention party menu.

President Reagan put Jelly Belly jelly beans on the map. Put them on your National Convention party menu!

Reagan and Jelly Belly jelly beans

A must-have at all political parties are Jelly Belly jelly beans in honor of President Ronald Reagan. Since he was Governor of California, Ronald Reagan was known for his love of the colorful sugar candies. He made them so popular and so mainstream that Jelly Belly provided Reagan with shipments of jelly beans for the eight years he served as president.

Fun fact: The blue blueberry flavored jelly bean wasn’t invented until 1980, just in time for Reagan’s inauguration. In case you’re wondering how many jelly beans were needed for the festivities, the answer is three and a half tons!!

For your convention festivities, a few strategically placed bowls of jelly beans should suffice.

Ketchup as a vegetable

Talk to our executive chef about any food restrictions so that we can create the perfect menu for your next event.

We’re going to stick with “The Gipper” a little while longer. In the Fall of 1981, the Reagan administration tried to propose that tomato paste or ketchup (catsup?) be classified as a vegetable! Yup, it’s true. Fortunately, the proposal did not pass Congress, so ketchup is (and always will be) a condiment, but go ahead and whip up some fries with ketchup just for a good laugh – and a little political history trivia to entertain your guests.

Clinton and high-calorie snacks

President Bill Clinton was famous for his large appetite and his love of high-calorie snacks, burgers, and pastries.

Fun fact: Clinton is allergic to chocolate and milk, so if you’re whipping up cakes and pastries in honor of the Clinton presidency, make them without milk and chocolate.

Which brings us to the Obama administration:

Combine Bill Clinton’s love of high-calorie foods, with Michelle Obama’s love of fresh and organic by making your burgers and sausages from scratch using local ingredients from Philadelphia farms.

Michelle Obama and nutrition

First Lady Michelle Obama has taken on the food fight to end all food fights. She has fought to change the way we eat, and most importantly, change the way our kids eat. She has even changed the nutritional label on the back of food to make it easier for us to steer clear of the bad stuff. In honor of the current administration, make sure you have some healthy snacks amongst the jelly beans, burgers, and bear claws.

Cater your next Philadelphia event

Whether it’s a themed event, like a National Convention Cocktail Party, or another big event in Philadelphia, our executive chef can work with you to create the perfect menu. Taking a page from FLOTUS, we make all of our dishes from scratch using fresh, locally sourced ingredients.